Save Britain Money Group (Swansea)

Origins

Save Britain Money has faced some major challenges in the 12 months since it achieved a top ten finish in the Fast Growth 50. The core of the Save Britain Money business has always been home insulation, in 2012 alone 250,000 energy saving measures were arranged. However, the CERT grant that facilitates these free installations came to an end in December 2012. This, coupled with a delay to the highly anticipated government Green Deal scheme and a difficult start and new compliance obligations surrounding the new ECO grants, forced SBM to look again at its operation. The result was a new work flow system that ensured quality and compliance throughout the supply chain. This review has now paid dividends as after a difficult first quarter SBM are now establishing themselves as a key installer of loft and wall insulation and boiler replacements through ECO funding. On the financial side of the business, PPI reclaims slowed down and SBM exited the market after several very successful years. With this income flow closed the group returned to its entrepreneurial roots and launched three new financial products; free pension reviews, insurance products and help for mis-sold mortgages. Although all three products are still in their infancy, the insurance markets are already looking like being SBM’s next success story.

Success Factor

In the words of Nev: “Surround yourself with the right people and the rest is easy.” SBM Group has some excellent, forward thinking individuals whose experience and vision have really helped to grow the company and retain staff, Unusually for a call centre, it has a high retention rate with some agents now in their 4th year with the company which has resulted in high rates of product knowledge and mentoring. The unique atmosphere at SBM with incentives, dressing up, singing and team activities certainly helps with the policy of retaining good staff. Also the ability to develop new campaigns and products while old ones are still company cash cows which not only protects income and jobs but also encourages forward thinking in staff. Finally, the ability to organise multiple brands and companies behind the common goal of saving people money and this coherence has created a strong brand that is performing well in terms of Google rankings, web visits and public awareness and is allowing the business to flourish as the consumer champion

The Future

The business currently has exciting plans to expand the channels it uses to reach customers from the phones to the doorstep. It has two Doorstep Challenge buses being tested in different parts of the UK. The buses carry a team of branded money saving advisors who are offering the Nev Wilshire challenge of being able to save any household money on their bills. This challenge starts with home insulation and boiler replacement, but also offers fuel switching and great value financial products. The bus also contains trained surveyors who can survey your home within the hour. If successful, this challenge model will be rolled out to a huge fleet of 'Nev buses' operating in towns and cities across the country. SBM is also currently busy refining its offering around pension and mortgage services and will soon be launching a dedicated insurance website offering great value products from car insurance, to travel, to accident sickness and unemployment. Further financial products will follow as the business seeks to achieve the same success in this sector as it has had in energy efficiency. In the past 12 months, two installation companies, HIS and RIS, have been purchased which have been integrated into the SBM family and as a result, customers can now get a clear customer journey from survey to installation.